Hockney Is Bigger Than Van Gogh!

These are the queues of people waiting inwards the pelting at 7.50pm on the in conclusion eve of the David Hockney RA - Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Bigger Picture exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts.  The halt of the queue is downwards to the entrance to Burlington House on Piccadilly.  The exhibition shut at 10pm.

Below you lot tin meet my cameraphone photos of dissimilar views of the queue on the in conclusion night.

Burlington House Courtyard on the in conclusion nighttime of the Hockney Exhibition
- my sentiment from the Archway

© Katherine Tyrrell

The sentiment of the queue for the in conclusion nighttime of the Hockney Exhibition
from the archway off Piccadilly, all the agency across the courtyard to the entrance to the ticket desk
- every bit seen from Burlington House

© Katherine Tyrrell

My ticket was for 8pm thus I was able to taste the in conclusion ii hours of this exhibition before it shut its doors for the in conclusion time.

This was my quaternary visit.  I'd been at the Press View when it was only also much to accept inwards all at once.  I'd thus taken my sis in addition to Marion Boddy-Evans to meet it - in addition to it's ever fun to meet an exhibition through other people's eyes.

This fourth dimension I wanted to larn for myself.  I'd had a fence amongst myself along the lines of is it sensible for anybody to larn to an exhibition iv times - for 5 days!  I won - in addition to got to go!

Can I recommend to anybody who likes exhibitions at the RA that becoming a Friend of the RA is the agency to produce it.  I only printed off my ticket online in addition to walked direct inwards in conclusion night.  Plus you lot tin accept a invitee for free.

I looked at all the paintings which I'd non had fourth dimension to expect at properly when seeing it amongst friends

Here's a few thoughts from my in conclusion visit

• The Thixendale trees are notwithstanding a "wow" every fourth dimension I walk though the doors
• I never ever tire of The Arrival of Spring inwards Woldgate Wast Yorkshire inwards 2011 (twenty eleven) - the installation of 51 iPad drawings printed on newspaper in addition to a major paradigm on 32 canvases.  This was the room I lingered longest in.  I am forthwith a total convert to the notion of digital fine art - peculiarly that involving the iPad.  (I also wonder what the pigment color for the room was every bit it was a wonderful background for all the artwork)
• My side past times side favorite room is Room 6 - Woldgate Woods.  It exactly goes to demo what tin survive achieved when you lot go along going dorsum to the exact same location at dissimilar times of the twelvemonth in addition to dissimilar times of day.  This fourth dimension I appreciated much to a greater extent than that staying inwards the same house allows you lot to meet the differences  in lite in addition to seasonal atmospheric condition to a greater extent than clearly

There was no irksome hateful solar daytime on Woldgate
David Hockney

• I truly liked all the operate inwards Room 4 - which was given over to watercolours in addition to initiatory of all petroleum paintings from observation. Maybe because these were all inwards essence sketches in addition to modest studies done  plein air.  He was doing something a lot of us do!   The grid display of identically sized operate was also peculiarly effective.  
• One knockout aspect for me was the charcoal drawings - which were only stunning.  I never ever tired of looking at these - but alone appreciated the relevance of him drawing trees in addition to woods inwards charcoal on my in conclusion visit.
• It's amazing how expert photographic reproductions are these days.  I should imagine really many people in all probability idea they were seeing the existent "Mulholland Drive: The route to the Studio" which is truly notwithstanding inwards Los Angeles every bit it can't survive moved
• reading his books (particularly the biography in addition to Lawrence Weshler's book True to Life: Twenty-Five Years of Conversations amongst David Hockney (which I highly recommend) enabled me to empathise much improve the whole procedure associated amongst the photograph collages - in addition to it was much to a greater extent than rewarding to survive able to expect at these ane time to a greater extent than amongst this knowledge.  David Hockney: The Biography is already available inwards the UK and publishes inwards the USA on 17th Apr in addition to is a recommended read!
• I've lost count of how many times I've forthwith watched the snowfall autumn off the tree inwards the multi-screen celluloid of Woldgate inwards the snow.  The best chip is notwithstanding the juxtaposition of the glorious brilliant Autumn colours side past times side to the crisp wintertime colours on Woldgate afterward snowfall - in addition to the reminder that this is the same house a few weeks apart.
• the vi iPads displaying his iPad sketches inwards Room 12 receive got been going non-stop throughout the exhibition without having whatever technical hiccups whatsoever!  They are a fantastic agency of displaying operate inwards an exhibition.
• there are no signatures on whatever of the operate except the drawings.  I approximate if you lot tin larn on adding grids knowing which ane to sign would survive quite difficult.  I approximate they receive got a score on the back.

When I was leaving I asked the human being on the door whether he knew what the visitor numbers were inwards total.  He told me that he'd worked for the RA for many years in addition to it was the biggest exhibition he'd ever seen for visitors.  In his sentiment it was bigger than the Van Gogh exhibition inwards 2010 - partly because they started the belatedly nighttime openings earlier.

That has for sure been my impression every fourth dimension I've visited.  It was really evident from the outset that this was going to survive a really pop exhibition.  The queuing to larn a ticket online or at the Academy never ever stopped - correct upward until the in conclusion night.

What struck me on every see was how much people were enjoying the exhibition in addition to truly talking most the paintings.  

It's every bit if Hockney has reopened the eyes of middle England to the countryside which surrounds them - in addition to taught them something most how to expect at what's truly there.

David Hockney RA - Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Bigger film - inwards Europe

From London, the exhibition forthwith moves to:

• the Guggenheim inwards Bibao in Spain: xiv May - thirty September 2012
• Museum Ludwig, Köln (Cologne) inwards Germany: 27 Oct 2012 - 4 Feb 2013 - the website notes that this volition survive a slightly dissimilar exhibition from the ane inwards London

Most of the industrial plant are notwithstanding inwards the ownership of the creative somebody in addition to I get together have been donated to the David Hockney Foundation thus hopefully volition survive going on display ane time to a greater extent than somewhere inwards the Britain sometime afterward the exhibition has finished its travels.

Links: 

• About David Hockney - British artist
• Review: David Hockney RA - Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Bigger Picture

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